Live Insurance News

Crop insurance regulation generating confusion

July 25, 2013July 23, 2013 G. Turner

Some Upper Midwest farmers are not exactly sure what coverage is available to them. The massive and extensive droughts that struck the Upper Midwest of the United States are now contributing to widespread confusion regarding the rules of crop insurance for some farmers in that region who were not able to plant this spring because of the exact opposite issue – too much water. Some growers are concerned that they won’t qualify for payments this year when they were not able to plant. Croplands that were too wet to put…

Crop insurance in Kansas farm bill pleases farmers

July 18, 2013July 20, 2013 G. Turner

Though growers are pleased that the program continues to exist, they are wary of cuts to direct subsidies. Farmers in Kansas are thrilled that their crop insurance program has been maintained as a part of a scaled down farm bill that has been passed by the U.S. House, but they are still leery as it doesn’t look as though the opportunity that it will provide will be quite as lucrative as what it used to be. They are still watching to see which elements of it will make it into…

Crop insurance push made for conservation requirements

June 8, 2013June 6, 2013 G. Turner

Rep. Mike Thompson wants the subsidized coverage to require compliance for eligibility. Among the differences between the current federally subsidized crop insurance program and the older systems of farmer subsidies is that it has detached itself from having to comply with conservation in order to be eligible. Older programs all required that farmers preserve wetlands, soils, wildlife habitat, etc, in exchange for the assistance. However, since 1996, farmers no longer had to meet the conservation minimum USDA requirement in order to be able to receive crop insurance subsidies, even at…

US Senate approves change to controversial crop insurance program

May 28, 2013May 27, 2013 Nordstrom

Crop insurance sees reforms at the hands of the Senate Crop insurance has been a matter of debate for U.S. lawmakers for more than a year. The attention drew more attention in the wake of the 2012 drought that threatened crops through much of the Midwest. The damage caused by this disaster successfully highlighted many of the problems that exist in the country’s current crop insurance program, spurring federal lawmakers to address these issues for the sake of economic stability and progress. Senate approves change to farm bill Late last…

Crop insurance subsidy could come to an end for tobacco farmers

May 25, 2013May 25, 2013 G. Turner

Growers of these plants in Kentucky are strongly opposed to this new proposal to end their programs. An amendment to the 2013 Farm Bill was proposed, this week, by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) and Senator John McCain (R-Arizona), which would eliminate eight of the USDA tobacco crop insurance programs. This has caused concern to the Council for Burley Tobacco, which has asked farmers to contact their Senators. The council notified tobacco farmers of the changes that have been proposed for the crop insurance program and have requested that they contact…

Crop insurance in the farm bill is now up for debate in the Senate

May 22, 2013May 25, 2013 H. Cutner

The cuts to the federally subsidized program are facing consideration by Senators this week. This week, the Senate is now debating the proposed cuts to the federally subsidized crop insurance program, as an element of the enormous farm bill which is also being considered. On Monday, the Obama administration said that it wanted greater cuts to the subsidies and coverage. They stated that they wanted more crop insurance cuts in the legislation, and that the farm subsidies should also be reduced. The current proposal would cost nearly $100 billion per…

Crop insurance expansion approved by Senate panel

May 17, 2013May 25, 2013 H. Cutner

The farm bill that would broaden the coverage has now received the approval from a U.S. panel. The Senate Agriculture Committee has just approved its version of the farm bill – the House is debating another – which would expand the reach of the federally subsidized crop insurance program and that will cost approximately $500 billion over a period of ten years. The bill will also make some limited cuts on the spending for the food stamps that are issued to the poor. The Senate bill is one thousand pages…